Military Officer - August 2007 - (Page 73)

pagesofhistory An Ordinary Hero Everyday citizens from across America became heroes in World War II. One of those men, Eddie Martens, saved a burning plane from crashing into London. I n the summer of 1943, a U.S. and British air bombing offensive against Germany was under way. U.S. pilots ﬂew B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators from bases in England to drop bombs on German targets. Lt. Edwin W. “Eddie” Martens, who learned how to ﬂy in his native Nebraska, found himself in the U.S. Army Air Forces piloting a B-17 Fortress during World War II with the 92nd Bomb Group, Eighth Army Air Force, at Podington, England, just northwest of London. Martens and his crew were on their way to Germany when their “Berlin Special,” laden with bombs, caught ﬁre. He ordered his crew to bail out and was ready to follow them when he realized the plane was directly over the city. Martens later said he recalled stories about burning planes crashing into London and killing innocent people; those stories prompted an act of bravery that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. Martens fought blinding smoke and heat to reach the ﬁre and beat out the ﬂames. He managed to land the plane safely at a nearby airﬁeld, sparing the people of London. Martens ﬂew 30 missions over Germany and received many awards. After the THIS MONTH IN HISTORY ■ On Aug. 24, 1814, British forces burned Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812. The British destroyed the White House and other government buildings before they marched to Baltimore, where they were repulsed at the Battle of Fort McHenry. war ended, he returned to his farm, where he built an airstrip, restored planes, and taught ﬂying. Later in life, he would sometimes modestly tell the story of the day when he was just an ordinary hero. Martens died June 10 at the age of 86. W Early Air Rifle hen Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched their 1803 expedition to chart a route to the western coast of North America, they carried with them one of the latest pieces of military technology: a repeating air riﬂe. This riﬂe has been donated to the Army Heritage Center Foundation in Carlisle, Pa., by Dr. Robert Beeman and his wife, Toshiko, founders of Beeman Precision Airguns. On Jan. 24, 1806, Lewis wrote: “My Airgun astonishes [the Indian tribes] very much they cannot comprehend it’s shooting so often and without powder; and think that it is great medicine which comprehends every thing that is to them incomprehensible.” Use of the air riﬂe is noted at least 39 times in expedition journals. Dr. Jeffrey Clarke, chief historian, U.S. Army Center of Military History, accepted the air riﬂe on behalf of Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey during a May ceremony at Carlisle Barracks. MO AUGUST 2007 Eddie Martens, a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces, was one of four brothers who flew bombers during World War II. PHOTO: KEYSTONE PRESS AGENCY COURTESY OF THE MARTENS FAMILY MILITARY OFFICER 73

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - August 2007

Military Officer - August 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: No Longer in Reserve A Different Path Weird Science Charge? Pages of History Faces of MOAA Member Books Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Calendar MOAA Scholarship Donors Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - August 2007

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